While the NFL gets geared up for the super bowl, several teams around the league have been busy making personnel decisions in preparation for next season. In news out of Minnesota, the Vikings have hired veteran NFL coach Tony Sparano as the team’s new offensive line coach.
Sparano, who played as a college offensive lineman for Division II New Haven in the late 70s and early 80s, will be taking over a talented offensive line. He will be charged with the task of putting together an offensive line scheme to protect the team’s young and improving QB Teddy Bridgewater while opening holes for future Hall of Fame RB Adrian Peterson.
In response to his apparent excitement about going to work for his new team, Sparano stated “I’m excited about the opportunity to join an outstanding organization in Minnesota,” later offering “Growing up, the Vikings had a big spot in my heart. It’s a passionate fan base and a franchise with a storied history. I love the vision that ownership, Rick Spielman and Coach Zimmer have. It’s a clear vision, it’s a solid team, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
Given the level of improvement the Vikings displayed this year, Sparano finds himself in the enviable position of helping the Vikings take the next big step towards securing a possible Super Bowl Championship. After winning the NFC North with an 11-5 record, the Vikings lost a heart-breaker in its Wild Card game when kicker Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal with time running out against the Seattle Seahawks.
In Sparano, the Vikings get a coach with 32 years of combined coaching experience at the college and pro levels. Of those 32 years, he has spent 18 years in the NFL, including a head coaching stint with the Miami Dolphins from 2008-2011. In fact, he led Miami to the AFC East division title with a record of 11-5 in his first year as a NFL head coach. It was an amazing turnaround for a team that had finished 1-15 the season before his arrival. In recognition of helping the team tie the league record for biggest improvement from one season to the next, he was named 2008 NFL Coach of the Year.
While speaking about Minnesota’s rich football tradition in the NFL, Saprano said “Watching the Vikings when I was younger, they played outside in Bloomington at Met Stadium.” He then added “It was cold a lot. I just like that town and the mentality of the people there. I know we’ll be playing inside for our home games, but I just like that town and the toughness that is there.”
This new role represents a nice step up from tight end coach, a position he held this past season with the San Francisco 49ers. He will be joining a coaching staff headed by third-year Head Coach Mike Zimmer with Norv Turner as his Offensive Coordinator. Those two gentlemen deserve a lot of credit for bringing a new winning attitude and toughness to a Vikings team that had seen its struggles over the prior few years.
Heading into the 2016 season, the Vikings are expected to be included among NFL consensus picks as Super Bowl contenders. In the meantime, gamblers had best be getting to work on their sports betting strategies for the upcoming Conference Championship games. The AFC Championship game features the New England Patriots at the Denver Broncos (both NFL consensus picks to be here) while the NFC game features the Arizona Cardinals at the Carolina Panthers. By using the best sports betting strategies for NFL, the hope is to get to the Super Bowl with a nice bankroll and end the NFL season with a bang.
